


The Dragon

by confiscatedretina



Category: Under My Skin
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-10-09
Packaged: 2018-02-20 13:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2430326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confiscatedretina/pseuds/confiscatedretina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief excerpt from the lives of Bree, a commoner thief with a penchant for magic, and Min, the dragon she loves. Based on the novel "Under My Skin" by A. E. 'Asynca' Dooland.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asynca](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asynca/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Under My Skin](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/77693) by Asynca. 



> This whole little snippet is a giant fantasyland shout out to one of my all-time favorite books, [Under My Skin](http://asynca.wordpress.com/chapter-index/), by [Asynca](http://asynca.tumblr.com). I'm not sure how much sense it will make if you haven't read that book (or how much sense it makes if you have :D).

Bree scanned the crowd of nobles unnoticed, just another shadow against the cold castle walls. Amidst the sparkle and glitter in the great hall, she caught sight of the twin monarchs, Dianne and Sean Frost, their pet wizard Jason nearby. Faces she had known as a child drifted past, too. But there was no sign of Min.

“Fuck,” Bree growled under her breath.

Near the wine casks, she caught sight of Prince Henry, his dark hair blending his tall frame into the shadows. Even from this distance, the short woman could feel his grief. She slithered toward him, keeping near the walls and in the shadows. The spell he'd given her was doing a fantastic job keeping the thief hidden, but no amount of wizardry would save her if she simply waltzed into the crowd.

“If you really want to get drunk, try the Spotted Gryphon on Diamond Way.”

Henry nearly dropped the glass of wine he was bringing to his lips. “Bree?!”

She grinned up at him, her head not quite reaching his shoulder. “Hi. Things didn't go so well with her, did they?”

“No, they...I...” he sighed and downed the contents of his glass in one gulp. “I've said my farewells to her. I'm just...going to miss her, that's all.”

Bree patted his elbow gently. “You've done the right thing, Henry. And I know she'll never forget you.”

“I know. She...she's in the tower. Their Majesties have been insisting on it of late.”

“Fuck!” Bree hissed. “Well, if I'm going to get her out before sunrise I'd better go. It's a long climb up there.”

A key appeared in front of her eyes, dangling from a white cord. Henry smiled sadly as Bree reached for it.

“I won't be needing it now,” he smiled wistfully.

“You're a life saver!” Bree wrapped her thin arms around his waist.

“Just...take care of each other, will you?”

“Of course. You take care, too, Henry.”

The common thief smiled at the prince one last time and darted up the shadowed staircase behind him.

Min's tower room was small for the guest of royalty, but it was bigger than Bree's entire family home. The door didn't make a sound as she opened it onto a single chamber lit with only moonlight from the large windows. One window was open, a chill night breeze rustling the curtains and a tall silhouette blocking the light. The figure turned at Bree's light footsteps and she could see the spark of golden eyes.

“You...look better,” Bree managed, her cheeks growing warm.

“I've been practicing,” the woman's voice sounded deeper than it had the last time they'd met. “I think...I think I'm ready now.”

Bree took a deep breath. “Good, because I don't think we'll get a second chance at this. Dianne may not care if she loses a dragon, but Sean does and he's been getting suspicious.”

“I know.”

For a moment, Bree thought back to her first meeting with Min. It had only been a few months and so much had changed. Min had been an almost meek creature, swathed in glittering skirts and jewelry, Prince Henry's betrothed and the prized spell maker of Their Majesties. Bree had crept into that gala hoping to steal some shred of magic or a bauble to get enough food for her family to last another week, but the noblewoman towering over the rest had caught her eye and, worse, something about Min had tugged at Bree's sense of the ethereal.

Now Min stood tall and proud, her dresses and jewels gone. She wore simple commoner's clothes and what few curves she had once been endowed with were smoothed away. Dragons were sexless, after all. It had been a relief to see Min throw off the constraints of the human sex she'd been cursed with for so many years.

“Alright,” Min's voice broke the silence once more. “Let's do this. Are you ready?”

Bree's skin flushed and she smiled. “Always.”

Their lips met as Min embraced her, maybe for the last time. Neither of them had been able to find out much about dragon shape changing beyond knowing that a true love's kiss would break any curse effecting it; Min had been raised human. This might be their last kiss and Bree was determined to carve it into her memory forever. It was worth the sacrifice to set her beloved free. She felt weak in the knees at Min's touch, at the new found and hard won confidence in those strong fingers.

Suddenly, she was alone. Bree staggered in the emptiness, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. The night wind ghosted across her cheeks and left her feeling cold and hollow.

“Min?” she whispered.

(Here! Look outside!) the voice rang between her ears.

Sticking her head out the window, Bree gasped. A face bigger than her entire body grinned up at her with razor sharp teeth. Whiskery tendrils curled around Min's scaly nose as one massive, taloned paw gripped the tower's stonework. Bree could just make out the great scaled body curving away around the building. A giggle escaped her lips and Min's wolfish ears perked up at the sound.

“You look pretty good with a beard,” Bree laughed.

The dragon blinked golden eyes slowly and stroked the fur of its chin in thought. (I always fancied a beard. Glad to know it suits me. As stunning as I am, you should probably stop leering and get down here.)

Another giggle escaped Bree's lips as she hoisted herself over the window's edge. A talon reached up to steady her while she carefully settled between Min's antlers.

(Um, sorry for this,) Min said once Bree was settled.

“Sorry for wha-?”

All the air left Bree's lungs as the dragon let go of the tower and slither-thumped into the courtyard gracelessly. Min shook like a dog shedding water and stood on two of four legs; the other pair was in a tangle with the long, snake-like torso and dragon's tail.

“You said you were practicing!” Bree huffed.

(One walk through the garden at midnight is practice,) Min feigned offense and Bree swatted at one pointed ear. (I'll get the hang of it in a minute.)

“Beast!” a voice snarled from an open door at the castle's base.

(Fuck,) Min groaned. (Jason.)

“Move and I set your little commoner plaything on fire,” the wizard said, a ball of flame appearing in his upraised hand.

A deep growl rumbled through Min's body.

“Do it!” Bree hissed.

The dragon lunged to its feet and swung the tip of its long tail through the air. Before Jason could cast his spell, he was unexpectedly dangling by one leg in front of Min's snarling face. A blast of water from the dragon's mouth doused his spell a few moments before the wizard was dropped in the castle midden. He hit the filth with an undignified and wet splutter.

(Oops,) Min's voice was smug. (Give Sean a kiss for me, Jason!)

With that, the dragon's long body was slithering over the castle walls and, to Min and Bree's surprise both, into the star-speckled sky.

(Huh. That's easier than I thought it would be.)

“I hope getting down is just as easy,” Bree laughed.

Min's head tilted down and two paws brushed at the top of a tree before climbing back into the air. (It is.)

They flew in silence until the castle and its village were hidden by distance and the eastern sky was beginning to show the faintest tinge of dawn. Bree was nodding off against Min's thick, black mane.

(Um,) the dragon spoke suddenly. (Where are we going?)

Bree jolted upright. “Oh! I forgot to tell you! Sarah's letter came this afternoon! She said we can stay even if you can't turn human again. You remember where Broome is, right?”

(Sure. I looked at maps of all the kingdom's allies yesterday.)

They drifted through the heavens in more silence until the sun began to rise.

(Bree?)

“Hmm?”

(I love you.)

She smiled into the dragon's mane. “I love you, too, Min. Always.”


End file.
